In Short : Power supply management during summer becomes critical as electricity demand surges due to cooling needs, agricultural loads, and industrial consumption. Utilities adopt strategies such as peak load planning, demand-side management, renewable integration, and grid maintenance to ensure reliability. Effective coordination, energy conservation, and smart distribution help minimize outages while maintaining stable supply during extreme heat conditions.
In Detail : MEASURES TAKEN TO MEET PEAK DEMAND DURING THE UPCOMING SUMMER
There is adequate availability of power in the country. Present installed generation capacity of the country is 524 GW (as on February, 2026). India has addressed the critical issue of power deficiency by adding 299.87 GW of fresh generation capacity since April, 2014 transforming the country from power deficit to power sufficient.
During high demand summer months, there is a contribution of about 10 GW gas-based power (non-solar hours). Presently, there are challenges in respect of availability and price volatility of ‘Natural Gas’ due to the Middle East crisis. However, the Generators are exploring alternate sources.
Despite the Middle East crisis, the system is adequately positioned to meet summer demand with other alternate sources i.e. coal-based Generation, Renewables Energy and Energy Storage System compensating for reduced gas-based generation. The following measures have been taken to meet the peak electricity demand during the upcoming summer (April to June, 2026):
1.Directions under Section 11 of Electricity Act, 2003 has even issued to start operation of Tata Power’s Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd. (CGPL) power plant of 4,000 MW capacity from 1st April’26. This will ensure enhanced availability of power to five states i.e. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.
2. Close monitoring of progress under construction Power Plants (Thermal and Hydro) which are targeted to be commissioned by June, 2026.
3. Accelerated clearances are being provided for commissioning of renewable energy plants, particularly wind power plants and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
4. Planned maintenance of thermal power plants is being deferred to make available adequate generation capacity. From this, about 10,000 MW will be made available during April to June, 2026.
5. As on 22.03.2026, the coal stock available with coal-based plants in the country is around 58.2 Million Tonnes (MTs), which is sufficient to run the plants for an average of 19 days at 85% Plant Load Factor (PLF). To ensure further availability of coal to all GENCOs, Coal India Limited (CIL) has been advised to conduct auctions under Window-I & Window-II of Revised SHAKTI policy 2025
6. The average rake loading of domestic coal has gone upto 465 rakes per day in last 10 days. Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and Captive Coal Mine owners along with GENCOs have been advised to further increase rake loading of domestic coal. This is being regularly monitored by the Sub-Group constituted under Ministry of Coal (MoC).
7. The Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026 (amending the 2005 Rules) have been notified to encourage Captive Power generation by industries.
8. Hydro based generation is being scheduled in a manner so as to conserve water for meeting demand during peak period.
9. All the GENCOs including IPPs and Central generating stations have been advised to generate and maintain full availability on daily basis excluding the period of planned maintenance or forced outage.
The details of thermal power capacity which has been added during the current fiscal year 2025-26 (till January, 2026) and additional capacity expected to be commissioned till March, 2026 are given at Table.
The details of thermal power capacity which has been added during the current fiscal year 2025-26 (till January, 2026) and additional capacity expected to be commissioned in March, 2026:
| Sl.
No |
PROJECT | STATE | DISTRICT | SECTOR | UNIT NO. | CAPACITY
(MW) |
Commissioning Date |
| A. Thermal Capacity commissioned during the current fiscal year 2025-26 (till January, 2026) | |||||||
| 1 | JSW Energy Utkal Limited | Odisha | Jharsuguda | Private IPP | 2 | 350 | 01.04.2025 |
| 2 | North Karanpura TPP | Jharkhand | Chatra | Central | 3 | 660 | 14.04.2025 |
| 3 | Barh STPP Stage-I | Bihar | Patna | Central | 3 | 660 | 05.06.2025 |
| 4 | Obra C STPP | Uttar Pradesh | Sonbhadra | State | 2 | 660 | 16.06.2025 |
| 5 | Meenakshi Energy Ltd Ph II | Andhra Pradesh | Sri PottiSriamulu Nellore | Private IPP | 3 | 350 | 05.07.2025 |
| 6 | Yadadri TPS | Telangana | Nalgonda | State | 1 | 800 | 12.07.2025 |
| 7 | Vedanta Ltd Chhattisgarh TPP | Chhattisgarh | Raigarh | Private IPP | 1 | 600 | 19.07.2025 |
| 8 | Meenakshi Energy Ltd Ph II | Andhra Pradesh | Sri PottiSriamulu Nellore | Private IPP | 4 | 350 | 21.08.2025 |
| 9 | Khurja STPP | Uttar Pradesh | Bulandshahr | Central | 2 | 660 | 22.09.2025 |
| 10 | Patratu TPS | Jharkhand | Ramgarh | Central | 1 | 800 | 16.10.2025 |
| 11 | Buxar TPP | Bihar | Buxar | Central | 1 | 660 | 05.11.2025 |
| 12 | Ghatampur TPP | Uttar Pradesh | Kanpur Nagar | Central | 2 | 660 | 23.11.2025 |
| 13 | Yadadri TPS | Telangana | Nalgonda | State | 4 | 800 | 08.01.2026 |
| 14 | North Chennai TPP, St-III | Tamil Nadu | Thiruvallur | State | 6 | 800 | 24.01.2026 |
| Total | 8,810 | ||||||
B. . Thermal Capacity expected to commission after January, 2026 to March, 2026
| Sl.
No |
PROJECT | STATE | DISTRICT | SECTOR | UNIT NO. | CAPACITY
(MW) |
Expected Commissioning |
| 1 | Sagardighi TPP
St-III |
West Bengal | Murshidabad | State | 5 | 660 | March, 2026 |
| Total | 660 | ||||||
This Information was given by The Minister of State in the Ministry Of Power , Shri Shripad Naik, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
